English
"But how many, friend, are the conditions for the abiding in the signless liberation of mind?" "There are three, friend, conditions for the abiding in the signless liberation of mind – non-attention to all signs, and attention to the signless element, and previous preparation. These, friend, are the three conditions for the abiding in the signless liberation of mind." "But how many, friend, are the conditions for emerging from the signless liberation of mind?" "There are two, friend, conditions for emerging from the signless liberation of mind – attention to all signs, and non-attention to the signless element. These, friend, are the two conditions for emerging from the signless liberation of mind." 459. "And this boundless liberation of mind, friend, and the liberation of mind of nothingness, and the emptiness liberation of mind, and the signless liberation of mind – are these phenomena different in meaning and different in expression, or are they one in meaning, with only the expression being different?" "This boundless liberation of mind, friend, and the liberation of mind of nothingness, and the emptiness liberation of mind, and the signless liberation of mind – there is indeed, friend, a way by which these phenomena are different in meaning and different in expression; and there is indeed, friend, a way by which these phenomena are one in meaning, with only the expression being different." "And which, friend, What is the way, friend, by which these phenomena are different in meaning and different in expression? Here, friend, a monk with a mind imbued with loving-kindness dwells pervading one direction, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus, above, below, across, everywhere, in all ways, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill-will. With a mind imbued with compassion... (and so on) ... with a mind imbued with appreciative joy... with a mind imbued with equanimity, he dwells pervading one direction, likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth. Thus, above, below, across, everywhere, in all ways, he dwells pervading the entire world with a mind imbued with equanimity, abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, without ill-will. This, friend, is called the immeasurable liberation of mind. And what, friend, is the liberation of mind of nothingness? Here, friend, a monk, having completely transcended the base of infinite consciousness, dwells having entered the base of nothingness, thinking 'there is nothing'. This, friend, is called the liberation of mind of nothingness. And what, friend, is the liberation of mind of emptiness? Here, friend, a monk, gone to the wilderness, or to the root of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, thus reflects: 'This is empty of self or what belongs to self'. This, friend, is called the liberation of mind of emptiness. And what, friend, is the signless liberation of mind? Here, friend, a monk, by not attending to any signs, dwells having entered the signless concentration of mind. This, friend, is called the signless liberation of mind. This, friend, is the way, by relying on which way, these phenomena are different in meaning and different in expression. And what, friend, is the way, by relying on which way, these phenomena are one in meaning, but different only in expression? Greed, friend, makes for limitation. Hatred makes for limitation. Delusion makes for limitation. These, for a monk whose taints are destroyed, are abandoned, uprooted, t made like a palm-stump, made non-existent, not liable to arise in the future. As far as, friend, immeasurable liberations of mind exist, the imperturbable liberation of mind is declared the highest among them. And that imperturbable liberation of mind is empty of passion, is empty of aversion, is empty of delusion. Passion, friend, is a defilement, aversion is a defilement, delusion is a defilement. For a monk whose taints are destroyed, these are abandoned, uprooted, made like a palm-stump, made non-existent, not liable to arise in the future. As far as, friend, liberations of mind based on nothingness exist, the imperturbable liberation of mind is declared the highest among them. And that imperturbable liberation of mind is empty of passion, is empty of aversion, is empty of delusion. Passion, friend, is a maker of signs, aversion is a maker of signs, delusion is a maker of signs. For a monk whose taints are destroyed, these are abandoned, uprooted, made like a palm-stump, made non-existent, not liable to arise in the future. As far as, friend, signless liberations of mind exist, the imperturbable liberation of mind is declared the highest among them. And that imperturbable liberation of mind is empty of passion, is empty of aversion, is empty of delusion. This, friend, is the method by which, relying on which method, these phenomena have one meaning, but differ only in expression. Venerable Sāriputta said this. Venerable Mahākoṭṭhika, delighted, rejoiced in Venerable Sāriputta's words. The Great Discourse on Analysis is finished, the third. 4. The Shorter Discourse on Analysis 460. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground. Then the lay follower Visākha approached the bhikkhunī Dhammadinnā; having approached, and having paid homage to the bhikkhunī Dhammadinnā, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the lay follower Visākha said this to the bhikkhunī Dhammadinnā: “‘Personality, personality’ it is said, venerable lady. What, venerable lady, is the personality declared by the Blessed One?” “These five, friend Visākha, clinging-aggregates are the personality declared by the Blessed One, namely: the clinging-aggregate of form, the clinging-aggregate of feeling, the clinging-aggregate of perception, the clinging-aggregate of volitional formations, the clinging-aggregate of consciousness. These, friend Visakha, these five clinging-aggregates are what the Blessed One has called 'self-existence'." "‘It is good, venerable lady,’ Visakha the lay follower, having rejoiced in and approved of what the bhikkhuni Dhammadinna had said, asked the bhikkhuni Dhammadinna a further question: "‘“The origin of self-existence, the origin of self-existence,” venerable lady, is spoken of. What, venerable lady, has the Blessed One called the origin of self-existence?’" "That craving, friend Visakha, which leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there— that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for non-existence; this, friend Visakha, is what the Blessed One has called the origin of self-existence." "‘“The cessation of self-existence, the cessation of self-existence,” venerable lady, is spoken of. What, venerable lady, has the Blessed One called the cessation of self-existence?’" "It is, friend Visakha, the complete fading away and cessation of that very craving, its abandonment, its relinquishment, liberation from it, non-attachment to it; this, friend Visakha, is what the Blessed One has called the cessation of self-existence." "‘“The path leading to the cessation of self-existence, the path leading to the cessation of self-existence,” venerable lady, is spoken of. What, venerable lady, has the Blessed One called the path leading to the cessation of self-existence?’" "It is, friend Visakha, this Noble Eightfold Path that the Blessed One has called the path leading to the cessation of self-existence, namely— right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration." "‘Is clinging, venerable lady, identical with these five clinging-aggregates, or is clinging something separate from these five clinging-aggregates?’" "Clinging, friend Visakha, is not identical with these five clinging-aggregates, nor is clinging something separate from these five clinging-aggregates. That, friend Visakha, which is desire and lust for the five clinging-aggregates, that is the clinging there." 461. "‘But how, venerable lady, does the view of self-existence arise?’" “Here, friend Visākha, an uninstructed ordinary person, not seeing the noble ones, not skilled in the Dhamma of the noble ones, not disciplined in the Dhamma of the noble ones, not seeing the true persons, not skilled in the Dhamma of the true persons, not disciplined in the Dhamma of the true persons, regards form as self, or self as possessing form, or form as in self, or self as in form. Feeling… Perception… Formations… Consciousness he regards as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness as in self, or self as in consciousness. Thus, friend Visākha, there is identity view.” “But how, lady, is there no identity view?” “Here, friend Visākha, a well-instructed noble disciple, seeing the noble ones, skilled in the Dhamma of the noble ones, well-disciplined in the Dhamma of the noble ones, seeing the true persons, skilled in the Dhamma of the true persons, well-disciplined in the Dhamma of the true persons, does not regard form as self, nor self as possessing form, nor form as in self, nor self as in form. Nor feeling… Nor perception… Nor formations… Nor consciousness does he regard as self, nor self as possessing consciousness, nor consciousness as in self, nor self as in consciousness. Thus, friend Visākha, there is no identity view.” “What, lady, is the Noble Eightfold Path?” “This, friend Visākha, is the Noble Eightfold Path, namely – right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.” “Is the Noble Eightfold Path, lady, conditioned or unconditioned?” “The Noble Eightfold Path, friend Visākha, is conditioned.” “Are the three aggregates, lady, included in the Noble Eightfold Path,